Reply With QuoteSmacca (01-11-11)
Yep, as I mentioned yesterday in a reply to Smacca, it sounded to me like the transmitters were off frequency by more than 12.5Khz and your tuner/stb identifys frequencies other than .50 or .62 as analogue and drop them. However, as you say, this appears to have been fixed now. Obviously the clock and EPG are linked but different brands have different parametres.
"the one with the sugar coating is the one that would otherwise taste worst".
Smacca (01-11-11)
Update:
Optus D1 feeds will cease transmission by the end of November, which means Mingenew and Mawson/Central Ag are a definite for this month.
Mt Barker will launch, plus a few others in the South West. Will let you know when I find out more!
Smacca, can you elaborate a bit more please? eg will all D1 channels be lost?
Ok found my answer in another post.
Last edited by toyboy11; 03-11-11 at 04:34 PM.
If the West Digital Television consortium now intends to use VAST it may also mean that the HD programs are true HD as VAST uses the more compressed MPEG4. I suspect the D1 feeds currently have reduced Mbits per channel to allow the full bouquet from the current single WDW/VDW/SDW multiplex. It will be interesting to see if these transmissions remain a single multiplex or two new transmitters are introduced.Originally Posted by Smacca
Another significant issue is how they remux the EPG/Parental Control & Closed Captions if sourced from VAST. I am sure I have read in a recent thread somewhere that at the moment the EPG was not always working or just didn't exist in rural WA.
Does anyone know what the status of the EPG functions are currently from Karratha, Kalgoorlie, Maswon/Central AG and Mingenew? Are all the EPG functions working now across all channels?
"the one with the sugar coating is the one that would otherwise taste worst".
Full bouquet on the single multiplex was never done. Only the 3 standard definition TV services were ever used on them, so if anything, they could have higher Mbits per channel as there's plenty of space to play with. I'm not entirely sure, maybe someone with right equipment can find that out.
Sites upgraded from now on will never use a single multiplex. Mingenew and Mawson are the last two left.
The VAST WA EPG has been fine for months. The Gem/GO issue seems to be at a site level. Not sure about CC or parental controls.
Kalgoorlie is fine except the GO!/Gem problem.Does anyone know what the status of the EPG functions are currently from Karratha, Kalgoorlie, Maswon/Central AG and Mingenew? Are all the EPG functions working now across all channels?
i would hazard a guess and say these two channels have the wrong region header. either sa or nt...
Karratha EPG etc functions all fine except for the WIN/GEM/GO time/date being wrong. It is not an incorrect region issue as the datestamp is still back in June as opposed to being a couple of hours out of whack - maybe someone forgot to set the clock, or the transmitter is not syncing properly back to wherever it gets the date/time from.
GWN7/7two/7mate down at the moment in Karratha - lost signal last night and still not back - a rescan resulted in losing the channels completely there is nothing at all on CH40. GWN7 analogue is still on air.
Thats one thing I dont like about these Digital tuners is that you cant 'preload' and 'Lock' the frequencies unless theres a signal present.
I stand unequivicably behind everything I say, I just dont ever remember saying it !!
Those channels are working now
Smacca (06-11-11)
so the 'technicians' can install a modern high tech digital transmitter but can't set a clock ?
They're taking their sweet old time....
Mingenew and Mawson are now getting their signal from the Vast service. WIN, GWN and Ten West only.
Smacca (07-11-11)
The clock is most likely set by the same person(s) who write the EPG, Info box and the scrolling banners.
From what I have seen at times, no idea what the current time is, program details are irrelevant to the program screening and minimal abilty to spell and compose a sentence in English.
quote=smacca] They're taking their sweet old time.[quote]..........time they seemingly have no concept of.
Last edited by gordon_s1942; 07-11-11 at 12:41 PM.
I stand unequivicably behind everything I say
And is the EPG working fine at a terrestrial receiver in Mingenew and Mawson?
I met with the supplier of the transcoders and EPG remux units last week for these sites. He explained the EPG configuration and it was quite complexed. He thought some engineers (term used loosely) would ignore the EPG configuration either in part or entirely as it is not compulsory to retransmit the EPG (yet). If not configured this would mean that the EPG would show "no information" on screen of a terrestrial receiver (TV) or STB.
He also thought that, if Optus changes transponders for the VAST service any time in the future (as they have threatend to do) then it may be sometime before the EPG remux would be reconfigured if at all as a site visit would be required each time.
"the one with the sugar coating is the one that would otherwise taste worst".
With the Karratha EPG, it is working fine as long as the TV/receiver is displaying correct time and date. The issue is that the time/date is coming from the transmission and when on the WIN suite of broadcasts the time/date information is incorrect. ABC seems to update the time/date immediately if i switch to that set of channels, the update on GWN/Ten/Win is much slower (can take about 60 seconds).
The current workaround is to change channel to WIN for a bit to get the EPG to update, then switch to another channel with working clock, and then open the guide and have a look. This works but can be frustrating - there is a period after switching to Win where the EPG can be read, but it dissappears rather quickly.
Otherwise the changes in Karratha are all good and seem to have stabilised - no outages/issues after GWN one the other day.
KDS (09-11-11)
I think Mawson was the only site that didn't have an EPG for a couple of years, well before the first actual launch of section 38B/Ten West in 2010. Otherwise each site has provided a proper EPG from day 1. So I'm certain they'll do an EPG for all sites, whether it's an actual mandated requirement or not. The idea is to set it up right the first time and to never re-attend the site again (except for analog switch-off).
That's going to be a bugger!
I think Optus are just making threats. They are pissed off because the VAST system is intended to be a direct-to-home service (that's what they where asked to provide) yet the broadcasters are using VAST as a distribution feed for their remote sites. VAST was not intended for this purpose. Transcoding and EPG remuxing being the expensive issues here.
However, the ACMA have now legitimised the use of VAST to deliver signal to remote retransmission sites by publishing the draft guidelines for digital retransmission from a self help site using VAST Document. This has upset Optus and they may just try and make a point by switching transponders.
The VAST boxes should handle any changes but the professional decoders used at remote retransmission sites may have a problem which requires a site visit or remote reconfiguration (less likely).
The Federal Government have again found themselves in a tight spot of their own making.
"the one with the sugar coating is the one that would otherwise taste worst".
I really dont see what Optus would gain by playing silly buggers with the transponders because of the time and effort needed to make it happen and unless they intend to do it on a regular basis, it achieves no end.
Plus even though Optus isnt Australian owned any more (stupid idea) the Government, Lib/Lab/Green or Ind controlled COULD take it back, as in Nationalisation.
A very highly unlikely situation but there are ways and means open to the Government to exert pressure on Optus if they got too stroppy.
As for the loss of the EPG, ok a pain in the arse BUT we lived without any form of EPG for the first 50 years of Television and I dont doubt we could stumble on for another 50 without it.
Simply go online, buy a TV guide or the local newspaper and there you go, problem solved.
I stand unequivicably behind everything I say
KDS (09-11-11)
Gordon, you are absolutely correct. The EPG is both a pain in the arse and unneccessary. Someone has convinced the Federal Government that people cannot live without the EPG on digital TV.
The Ferral Communications Minister believes that the EPG cannot be delivered terrestrially if the source of the signal is VAST. Not because it's impossible or too expensive but because it is too complicated for the simple folk to understand.
In other words someone does not want any competition. You don't sell hundreds of thousands of VAST boxes if rural communities have a terrestrial service do you! How many boxes did the Govenment promise UEC they would sell? I'm just saying...
"the one with the sugar coating is the one that would otherwise taste worst".
gordon_s1942 (10-11-11)
Beerman, I have never been in business but I would guess one thing you do is survey the market place to see if there is a need for what your offering.
Of course we can all make projections and so many do and we've seen just where they end up but I doubt UEC or any other manufacturer would have tendered for our market unless there was the (Very strong) possibilty of a few Golden Gooses eggs to be gathered along the way.
I stand unequivicably behind everything I say
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